Electrical water-heater



W. WHELAN.

ELECTRICAL WATER HfATER.

APPLICATION msu lunizr. 191s.

Patented Oei.. 21, 1919.

2 angers-SHEET 1.

w. WHELAN.

ELECTRICAL WATER HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED IIINEZ?. IBIS. 1,319,315.

n manned out. 21, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Aorlzg.

WILLIAM WHELAN, 0F ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

ELECTRICAL WATERfHEATEB.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Oct. 21, 1919.

Application med .Time 27, 1918. Berici No. 942,148.

in had to the accompanying drawings,

his invention pertains to electrical heating devices and to devices of this character especially adapted for heating water or ,other liquids, and it has for its object the production of an apparatus for this purpose embodying the fewest possible parts, and with same assembled in a simple, practical and ciicient form.

lith these objects in view, attention is called to the accompanying drawings. wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective of my heater as disposed in a Water container;

Fig. 2, a side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view o'f the same electrical heating elements assembled in a tank or cylindrical form of water container rather than the container shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the top portion;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line A-B in Fig. 2, and showing the disposition of the outer and inner cylinders and'asbestos wick;

Fig. 6 is a detail showing the method of attaching the insulated handle to the apparatus, and including the overlapping brackets for. engagement with the top of the water container;

Fig. 7 is a modification showing a'simple method of bending the conductor terminals so vas to overlap the water container and sustain the apparatus in place;

Fig. 8 is a modicationshowing a flat form of structure for the heater, including method of bolting the heating plates and asbestos wick together;

Fig. 9'is a detail showing the structure and formation of the heating plates;

Fig. 10 is a detail showing a method of insulating the bolts and nuts from the clamping members.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, my apparatus, in its preferred construction, is made up of two heating cylinders as 1 and 2 of unequal diameters, so that the heating cylinder 1 will set inside of the heating cylinder 2. These heating 'of structure is shown.

cylinders are both perforated with a plurality of holes as shown at 3 and 4. A cylindrical asbestos wick 5 is dis sed between the cylinders 1 and 2, and projects, as shown at 6 and 7, at its upper and lower ends beyond the ends of the heatin cylinders 1 and 2. Suitable electrical con uctors as 8 and 9 are joined to the heating cylinders 1 and 2, and lead therefrom upwardly through the top bar 10, ending in the terminal screws 11 and 12, and being insulated in passage through the top bar l0 by any suitable means. The top bar 10 is provided with projecting brackets 13 and 14 adapted to set over the edge of any water container 17, and so sustain the apparatus in working position. An insulated handle 15 is provided to facilitate the handling of the apparatus. Wire conductors extend from the terminals 11 and 12, and are joined in circuit to any electrical source as 16.

In the modication shown in Fig. 7 the conductors 8 and 9 are bent at their upper portions as shown at 18 and 19. In the modification shown in Fi 8, a iiat form T e heating plates 20 and 21 are made flat and between them is imposed the flat asbestos wick 22. these elements being clamped together in flat form by means of the clamps 23 and 24 bolted together at their ends. The clamps 23 and 24 are to be properly insulated so that the electrical current will pass through the water rather than through the clamps.

In operation, the container 17 is partially filled with water, and the apparatus is set therein, being suspended from the top of the container by the brackets 13 and 14. The current is turned on, and water being only a partial conductor of electricity, the resulting resistance to the current in passing between the heating cylinders 1 and 2 heats the surrounding water, and a circulating current is established in the water until the entire body of water is heated.

The downwardly projecting end 7 of the wick 5 draws up the water from the container 17 to the last portion thereof. When the water is exhausted from the container through evaporation or otherwise, the asbestos wick 5 becoming dry, and asbestos being a non-conductor of electricity, the current of electricity is automatically cut-oli' until a new supply of water is placed in the container 17. The purpose of the perforations 3 and 4 is, of course, to afford the water or liquid easy means of access to the i asbestos Wick 5.

Of course, the elements and apparatus as described may be elaborated into a complete hot Water heating system for a house, or for generating steam to run an engine, or for other simllar purposes, and Whlle I have herein described a certain specific manner and method of constructing the elements of my invention, it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor details, not departing from the spirit of my invention, so as [best to construct a practical device for the urpose intended as defined in the appen ed claims.

What I claim to be new and patentable is:

1. An electrical water heater, comprising a source of electricity and in circuit there with spaced, perforated heating plates; and an absorbent, electricall non-conducting wick located tbetween sai plates.

2. An electrical water heater, comprising a source of electricity and in circuit therewith spaced, electrically conducting, perforated heating plates; and an absorbent, electrically non-conducting wick located between said plates. c

3. An electrical Water heater, comp-rising a source of electricity and in circuit therewith spaced, electrically conducting, perforated heating plates; and an absorbent, electrically non-conducting wick located between said lates, said wick projecting beyond said p ates.

WILLIAM WHELAN.

Witnesses:

T. A. DoNnoAN, SALLIE V. E. Buscar. 

